


Moments of Brotherhood as Our Bonds Strengthen In These Harsh Times

by Lady_Katana4544



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: After Episode Moments, Behind the Scenes, Canon-Typical Violence, Episode Related, First Meetings, Gen, Gen Work, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Canon, Young Clones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 03:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7784689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Katana4544/pseuds/Lady_Katana4544
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few small scenes involving Commander Cody and Captain Rex during the Clone Wars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments of Brotherhood as Our Bonds Strengthen In These Harsh Times

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/gifts).



> Self edited, all missed errors are my fault for not finding.
> 
> Canon and Episodes referenced:
> 
> * Pre-canon meeting at a Kamino training center that most likely happened
> 
> * The Battle of Tibrin (mostly referenced a couple times in the cartoon)  
> * Blue Shadow Virus (Season 1: Episode 17)  
> * Umbara Arc (Season 4: Episodes 7, 8, 9, & 10)

“Cadets meet your opponents for today.”

Sometimes their trainers saw fit to send the clone cadet cadres against each other. Often times it would be younger clones pitted against the older ones. It was rumored that the Jedi knew of the practice, but had seen no reason yet to stop the practice of pitting clones against each other.

Of pitting brother against brother.

Which was why today, CT-7567, and his cadre found themselves pitted against an older cadre of cadets led by CC-2224 - though it was rumored his group switched their leadership between CC-2224 and another clone cadet, CC-1138. 7567 hadn’t seen it much for himself and he didn’t put much stock in believing rumors either, especially when they could be used to lead a person on a path they don’t want.

If CT-7567 is at all honest with himself - and most of the time he usually is - he’s beginning to wonder if there’s any truth to the rumor as he watches 2224 and 1138 whispering quietly to each other before they turn back to their cadre, however 2224 notices his curious staring and smirks at him.

Irritated at being caught staring, CT-7567 turns his attention back to his cadre and listens to the plan of attack. It’s not exactly the best plan their lead has ever come up with and the idiot is too stubborn to hear anything else that the rest of his cadre mates would want to propose.

So it’s no surprise to him when the cadre of older cadets beat them soundly into the floor. Though he is surprised when 2224 approaches him during the next day while he’s cleaning his gun.

“Hey.”

CT-7567 looks up from cleaning his weapon.

“Uh, hi?” He sits up straighter and lays the gun along with it’s cleaning rag on his lap.

“Name’s Cody.” 2224, now named Cody of all things held his hand out towards him and he shook it gently.

“CT-7567. That’s kriffing stupid name you chose, 2224.” He says with a half smirk even as Cody frowns at him.

“You haven’t named yourself yet?”

“CT-7567 is my name.” He answers even as Cody shakes his head at him.

“No, that’s your designation.” He raises one eyebrow upwards in response to the disgruntled tone the other clone is using with him.

“Well it’s the only one _I’ve_ got right now.”

“Well. You’ll be one of those kriffing stupid names soon enough yourself, 7567.” Cody says quietly with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

“Unlikely, CC-2224.”

“It’s _Cody_. Remember that.”

He tries to hold back a smirk and goes back to cleaning his weapon as the older Clone cadet stomps back to his cadre in his annoyance.

“Sure thing, Boss.”

*

 _Years later, Tibrin_ :

There was a part of him that wondered had happened to CC-2224 who preferred to be called Cody even back then once they had all completed their training and got sent to the frontlines of the war with their new units; to the Jedi Generals they had been assigned too. As much as he wanted too, it was impossible to keep track of every brother that went into the service of war and died for the Republic.

He had heard a few rumours about the other clone ascending the rankings, but nothing more than that and the war demanded his attention, so there wasn’t much time to devote his attention to locating the activities of a far off brother.

So he supposes that he shouldn’t be too surprised when Commander Cody with Commander Gree in toe finally locates him in the Command building at the staging ground on Tibrin while he’s reading up on some reports about the locals.

“Captain.”

“Hello, Commander Cody.”

“So did you pick a name yet, Captain 7567? Or do you still prefer to be addressed by your designation number?” Cody asks him with a slight upward quirk at the left corner of his mouth and he can see Commander Gree watching them both with some curiosity at their exchange in his eyes.

“Actually the name’s Rex now, sir. General Skywalker suggested it, sir.” He stops and falls silent before smirking slightly. “Personally I still think you were kriffing dumb to have already chosen your name back during basic training, sir.”

Cody shrugs and tilts his head back slightly, a look of superiority on his face.

“Well at least I knew what I wanted my name to be first and actually picked it back then. But I am glad that you have a name all the same. Nice to meet you, Captain Rex.”

“Likewise, Commander.” Rex nods his head slightly before glancing at Commander Gree. “Do the Generals have a plan of attack ready yet, sir?” 

Commander Gree shrugs with a serious expression and his eyes on the movements of the Jedi Generals in front of the holo map. “Don’t know yet. Not sure I like how complicated things are already sounding and with so many of our brothers in place around us.”

“Perhaps it will go in our favor, sir?” The question comes from one of the clone troopers standing nearby, he doesn’t know if this particular brother has chosen a name yet.

“We’ll just have to see, trooper. We’ll just have to see.”

0

The Blue Shadow Virus.

Cody remembered well enough that he had read up on the virus during his training years as a Cadet on Kamino many times. True, in his reading of nearly every record in existence that he could get his hands on had said it had been eradicated back then, but not before it had taken the lives of many being across several different generations.

It had been destroyed eventually during that time, but now according to the reports he had just finished reading that some kriffing stupid di’kut playing god had tried to bring it back as an airborne strain. An airborne strain that had taken the lives of a few brothers, but had been ultimately unsuccessful in taking lives of the Naboo senators, Commander Tano, and Captain Rex along with troopers Strafe and Goon down with it as its final victims.

_“Stand by. Opening hangar bays. Stand by.”_

Cody glances upwards from the datapad in his hand to watch the hangar bay doors slide open and a few gunships come through the opening -- he can see the planet of Naboo behind them -- gliding almost silently towards his position. He and the waiting medical teams beside him immediately come to attention as the ships land in front of him saluting both General Kenobi and Skywalker disembark first. The medics surge around him to check on those both clone and not clone still lying on their gurneys as brothers start to bring them off of the gunships.

“Generals. Welcome back.”

“At ease, Commander. What news do you have to report?” Obi-Wan nods at him, his gaze solely on him as he ignores Skywalker fidgeting beside him. He has a feeling that he knows at whose side General Skywalker would rather like be at right this minute.

“General per your orders, the doctor has been sent under guard to the brig and will be remaining there until further notice. Or when we reach Coruscant. The Negotiator and the Resolute have both done deep surface scans of the base and confirmed the earlier report that the new Blue Shadow Virus strain has been destroyed.” In the corner of his eye, he can see one of the medics ordering that the formerly infected people be taken to the ship’s infirmary.

General Kenobi nods. “Thank you for your report, Cody. You may go see them and Captain Rex if you wish.”

“Thank you, sir.” Cody nods his head slightly before moving towards where he had seen Rex’s gurney with Commander Tano and Senator Amidala. Rex grimaces when he takes notice of Cody’s swift approach while both Commander Tano and Amidala smile at him in greeting. For a few moments he surveys them in silence, taking in the sight of pale faces with dark vivid veins showing just under the surface of their skin.

“Senator, Commander, Captain. What’s this I hear about you three trying to take on a deadly virus?” He says in a deadpan tone as Tano giggles softly before coughing.

“Oh, just trying to save my homeworld from an evil virus and a madman.” Amidala answers with a small smile after watching in her concern as Commander Tano coughed a few more times.

“Of course you would be the one to try and make light of the situation, Cody.” Rex says quietly as he eyes the Jedi Padawan.

Cody shrugs a shoulder, affecting a look of abashed surprise. “Well I can only work with what I have when the brother usually in charge of that decides to go and fight with a deadly virus without me.”

Rex snorts. “Yeah well, buddy. You weren’t around on the ground for me to take you with the rest of the guys down to combat the deadly little virus.”

Cody smirks slightly. “Just for that see if I don’t leave you behind for the next one, Captain. Do get better so that I can beat your tail into the ground during the sparring matches.”

Rex grins. “Indeed. Well I’ll certainly do my best, sir.”

“Good man. Take them away to Kix.”

0

Cody scowls as he storms down the corridor of the base, nodding slightly to acknowledge the salutes of his brothers in Torrent Company and the 501st forces currently on Umbara while they do their best to get out of his way in the thin corridors with downcast eyes. He grinds his teeth together behind tightly pressed together lips.

This should not be. 

Their behavior is not something that should have happened.

Kriffing General Krell should not have happened to them. Not that he controlled where any of the Jedi went on the frontlines of the war.

He had wanted to punch something when he had heard the first reports with General Kenobi of what happened to the men of 501st and of Torrent Company especially while under the brief command of General Krell and in fact he had done so the moment he was alone in his private quarters, putting a large dent in the walls with repeated punches. It didn’t matter that Krell had gotten results with his strategies and tactics in past battles, it had enraged him to hear what his brothers had been forced to endure with Krell.

When Cody had returned to General Kenobi’s side in a somber mood, the Jedi had taken one long look at him before suggesting that he could go check on the soldiers and Captain Rex of the 501st as though he knew how it would help for Cody to be closer to his brothers.

Growling under his breath as he drags himself out of his thoughts, Cody, stops another Clone brother in one of the many hallways of the base and finally asks where he can find Captain Rex. The Clone whose name he doesn’t think to catch says that he had last see the Captain out on the airfield near the gunships with ARC Trooper Fives and a few other Troopers. Cody nods his thanks and starts heading that way.

After a few minutes, he finally comes upon the group of brothers and Rex whose back is facing him, Fives is the one who sees him first and lightly nudges Rex’s shoulder. Rex turns to look and Cody decides immediately that he doesn’t like how big the bags under his brother’s eyes are.

“Rex.”

Rex crosses his arms over his armored chest as though to put a physical barrier between himself and Cody -- though why he would do that, Cody has no idea before nodding at him slightly. “Cody.”

After a few moments of silence, Cody finally speaks cutting through Rex might be planning to say.

“Captain Rex. Please come with me.” Rex has a mulish look on his face like he might try to refuse Cody’s request before he eventually nods his assent. “Alright.”

At last Fives and the other two - Tup and Jesse he thinks - shift their positions around their Captain, it warms his heart to see such loyalty among his brothers and Fives lightly touches Rex’s elbow.

“Rex, you don’t -” Rex snorts softly before pulling away from him gently and takes a step towards Cody and stops just next to his shoulder. “It’s just Cody. I’ll be fine, Fives. Don’t worry about me.”

Behind Rex’s back, he exchanges a long look with the other three Clones and Five nods at Cody as he frowns slightly. “Alright. If you say so, Rex.”

Together they leave the other Clones and walk together, shoulder to shoulder back into the base and to the training room of the building. In the locker room, Rex crosses his arms again and watches as Cody starts taking off his armor to switch into sparring clothes.

“So what do you want, Cody?” He growls and Cody raises an eyebrow then shrugs lightly.

“To spar and let you talk really. But mostly what works for you. Besides you like working out your anger through sparring whenever you can.”

Rex stares at him in silence as though waiting for Cody to tell him that he’s joking before he takes off his armor to put on the sparring clothes. “Fine.”

They start sparring and it’s done mostly in silence before Cody finally goads Rex into releasing the anger inside him. Rex snarls loudly before pouncing and pinning him to the ground, trying to beat whomever he’s seeing in front of him into the ground. Cody has a good idea of who his intended target might be as he does his best to block Rex’s fists.

Finally Cody catches Rex’s bloody fists in his hands and gives him a bloody grin. “Feel better now?”

Rex blinks down at him before slowly shaking head and moving to get off of him as Cody slowly sits up and wipes the blood away with the back of his hand, before Rex surprises him by suddenly wrapping his arms around him. He holds Rex close to him as silent tears flow down the Captain’s cheeks and silently vows to protect his brothers to the best of his abilities from Jedi like General Krell.


End file.
